City ombudsman investigating Toronto’s decision to turn away refugees from shelters

Toronto’s ombudsman is launching an investigation into the city’s decision to deny shelter access to refugees and asylum seekers.

Ombudsman Kwame Addo announced the investigation on Thursday and says it will look at the city’s response, with a focus on why the city denied refugee claimants who were seeking shelter in spaces “not specifically designated for refugees.”

The city began turning away refugees and asylum seekers from its at-capacity shelters at the end of May, referring them instead to backlogged federal programs and arguing they needed more money from Ottawa to accommodate the influx.

Hundreds of new arrivals were left sleeping on a downtown sidewalk outside of the city’s shelter intake office in July, before they were moved to local churches with the help of community advocates.

“There is no doubt that the City of Toronto is facing a housing crisis,” reads a statement from Addo. “Even so, the city has an obligation to treat all people in Toronto fairly, with dignity, respect, and care.”

Toronto's Ombudsman Kwame Addo has just launched an investigation into how the City of Toronto has responded to refugee claimants and asylum seekers looking for space in the City’s shelter system since May 31, 2023. https://t.co/2zdrLUQXLF pic.twitter.com/yS0rccNjV3

— Ombudsman Toronto (@ombudsmanTO) September 21, 2023

The ombudsman’s office says the review will consider the city’s processes that led up to its decision, the communication between city staff and members of the public, and whether the decision and process was fair.

In a statement to CityNews, Mayor Olivia Chow said anyone who need access to shelters in the city should be able to do so, “regardless of status.”

“I have worked with City Staff in recent weeks to ensure refugees are able to access both the refugee-specific system and the base shelter system. However, our shelters are full. Each night hundreds of people are turned away, and half of them are refugees.

“That is why we are bringing forward thousands of rent supplements in partnership with the provincial government, which will help to move thousands of people out of shelters into permanent housing. It is also why we are continuing to advocate for a long-term, sustainable plan from the federal government, which includes a regional welcoming centre to support refugees when they arrive and sustainable funding for the city’s refugee shelters.”

On Monday, the provincial government announced it was adding $42 million in funding to a portable housing benefit, with more than half going to the City of Toronto. The federal government in the summer announced $97 million for the city to help deal with the issue, but Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said at the time the funding fell well short of the $157 million the city needed.

“All people have a right to adequate housing that is safe and secure,” says Deputy Ombudsman Reema Patel in a statement. “Allegations that this right has been infringed, particularly with a group of people fleeing persecution in their home countries, is serious and must be thoroughly investigated.”

Any individuals who were involved or affected by the city’s decision to turn away claimants are being asked to contact the ombudsman’s office.

This is the first investigation out of the ombudsman’s new housing unit led by Patel. The office will conduct reviews of the city’s planning and housing programs.

With files from The Canadian Press